The proposed studies will examine the immunologic and genetic aspects of keloid formation. We have reported that there is increased tissue IgG associated with keloid tissue and now plan to characterize the specificity of this immunoglobulin. Other studies will examine the genetic association of keloid formation with the D and DR histocompatibility loci. Biochemical studies are planned to determine the role of steroids in keloid regression and the effect of steroids on collagenase activity. These studies will be carried out with fibroblasts in culture as well as fresh tissue biopsies. Other studies will correlate lysyl hydroxylase and prolyl hydroxylase activity with collagen synthesis and determine if steroids alter collagen synthesis per se and/or post-transcriptional modification enzymes. Basic wound healing studies are planned to localize early collagen synthesis in open rat wounds and determine the kinetics of synthesis and degradation of types I and III collagen during wound healing. Further studies will determine if steroids alter the type of collagen synthesized during the initial "substrate" phase and final "remodeling" phase of wound repair.